COUGARS boss Paul March has geared up for Saturday’s crunch trip to leaders Toulouse with a simple message: Bring it on!

March’s men cross the channel for their toughest assignment of the season so far as they bid to inflict the French side’s first league defeat of the campaign.

Unbeaten Toulouse top League One after nine wins and a draw but Cougars are overflowing with confidence themselves.

Since lifting the iPro Sport Cup in Blackpool, the Cougar Park outfit have thumped Newcastle Thunder at home and beaten North Wales Crusaders away.

Another win in France would take Keighley, currently in fourth spot, to within one point of their ambitious hosts.

Head coach March declared: “We travel to Toulouse full of confidence and in good heart.

“I’m full of confidence anyway and I’m sure the players are too because we are a team with some big-game players in it.

“I have watched Toulouse several times this year when doing previews on other clubs and they have got some dangerous players.

“We will look at that and I’m sure they will look at us and think the same, so it should be an exciting contest.

“It certainly doesn’t come any bigger than Toulouse away and I’m looking forward to it because it’s a great challenge.

“They’re a big, physical side but we can play any kind of rugby and can be as physical as they are, plus I believe we have the skill to cause them problems.

“It’s all about how we prepare and we’re doing the best we can in terms of our itinerary for getting there. Hopefully it will pay off on the field.”

The squad will fly to Carcassonne from Manchester tomorrow morning for the Saturday teatime game (5.30pm kick-off).

March said: “We arrive into Carcassonne tomorrow lunchtime and will then drive to Toulouse from there.

“We will get checked into the hotel and will then have a training session in preparation for the game.

“The lads will then get some free time in the evening just to relax and then we will manage the players throughout the day on the Saturday.

“There will be a team meeting, a walk and a stretching session, and the boys will then rest before we set off to the stadium.”

Ritchie Hawkyard will make the trip as he bids to return after a hamstring strain but brother Darren will remain sidelined with a calf injury for several more weeks.

* Promising youngster Jamel Goodall has joined League One rivals Gloucestershire All Golds on a month’s loan.

Goodall has been Cougars Reserves' standout performer for the past 12 months and attracted interest from Super League clubs after his performance against Wales last October in the Danny Jones Memorial Game.

The young prop was awarded his first-team debut in the recent win over Newcastle Thunder at Cougar Park.

Goodall is no stranger to All Golds coach Lee Greenwood, who coaches him at college rugby level with the Halifax elite academy.